GTA IV

We need things like air, water, food and shelter. We want things like T-bone steak dinners and down comforters. All of us have the things we need. Luckily, most of us have a lot of things we want.

Somewhere around the 20% mark of GTA IV, it went from being a want to a need. I have become thoroughly engrossed in the story and I’m anxiously doing missions so I can see what happens next. I need to see how things end. It’s no longer a matter of wanting to. My well-being depends on it. Which is the main reason I’ve been so sparse around here lately.

I’m working on a bigger post for GTA IV, but I do want to point out a couple things, one good and one bad. The bad — almost all of the humor, the “jokes”, the throw-away details are puerile and immature. It’s not fratboy-humor, it’s 13 year-old, giggle everytime someone says “Hancock” humor. It gets old fast. The citizens of Liberty City are unnaturally foul mouthed and hot-headed. They will throw-down at the drop of a coffee cup. It also gets old. I could do without a lot of these “details”.

The good — the main character, Niko, is really well done. I don’t know if Robert De Niro was an inspiration for this character, but I see a lot of him in Niko. The facial expressions, way he talks, the hand-gestures and posture are all spot-on. Even though the guy is morally bankrupt, he is still interesting in a “The Professional” sort of way. I am anxious to see more of his character.

So with that, I must away with myself. Liberty City calls.